24 May Laura: Harvesting Wheat and Diamonds

As I turned the corner to head to Carrico, our local John Deere dealer, on the morning of the crew’s departure, something caught my eye. It was a cool spring morning, and the fog was just rising from the field of green wheat.  In the distance, the sun was quickly rising over the horizon and through the low cloud it started to give the wheat a heavenly glow. Beads of dew hung from the awns and twinkled in the light, almost like a field of diamonds.  

As I enter my 13th season as a member of High Plains Harvesting, this image has given me pause to think about diamonds in my soul that have formed as a result of this experience. This journey, while containing many beautiful moments and images like the one above, hasn’t come without challenges. Since I didn’t grow up in or marry into this world, much of what I have learned has been through trial and error or from those blessed souls willing to be vulnerable and share a few pieces of advice along the way. There have been times of intense pressure and heat. It is through those times a person learns what he or she is made of. It is then that the diamonds form in your soul.  

This season, our team from across the United States and world will be forming their own diamonds throughout the run. Excitement has been mounting for the trip south, especially amongst new members making their maiden voyage, and it has become contagious. It makes my heart happy that our business not only provides a valuable service for farmers and employment for our crew, but also months of adventures and friendships that will go home with them at the end of the year and likely last a lifetime.

Excitement wasn’t just reserved for the adults on the crew, but also for our youngest members, too. Our children, whom we’ve affectionately referred to as Lady A and Little Man on this blog, were even willing to get up early before school to get in on the action of moving day. They have spent their childhood forming their own diamonds, chasing ripening wheat and the adventures that accompany the run.  

Now that the equipment has made it to the respective stops in Texas, and set up is complete, the waiting game begins. A test cut a few days ago, before the rain, showed we’re only a few moisture points away from kickoff. It won’t be long until dust is flying, and I look forward to sharing those harvest diamond stories with you!